Enveloping machine



D 2, 1936. M. VIERENGEL 2,064,997

ENVELOPING MACHINE Filed July 10, 1931 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 M INVENTOR:

BY NHT'IHEWVIEJRENEEL flr 9H ATTORNEY i i Dec. 22, 1936. M. VIERENGEL ENVELOPING MACHINE Filed July 10, 1951 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR: BY Marrasw VIERENEEL MQW ATTORNEY.

Dec. 22, 1936. M. VIERENGEL ENVELOPING MACHINE Filed July 10, 1951 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 [N VEN TOR:

y PIHTTHEWVERENEEL d ATTORNEY M. VIERENGEL ENVELOPING MACHINE Filed July 10, 1931 Dec. 22, 1936.

8 Sheets-Sheet 5 ace IN V EN TOR: NHTTHEW VIERENEEJL.

A TTORNEY.

Dec. 22, 1936. M. wERE'N EL 2,064,997

ENVELOPING MACHINE Filed July 10, 1931 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 IN V EN TOR: Marmaw VIEREZNEEL ATTORNEY Dec. 22, 1936. M. VIERENGEL ENVELOPING MACHINE Filed July 10, 1951 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 an, 5. 2A

n a 2 in u when IN V EN TOR. Na? THEIW VIERENSEIL.

ATTORNEY:

M. VIER ENG EL ENVELOPING MACHINE Dec. 22, 1936.

Filed July 10, 1931 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTORS Mam-15w VIERENEEZL BY h%/ -m Q A TTORNEX This gotta? PATENT ()lQE ENVELOPING MACHINE Matthew Vierengel, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to M. Vierengel Machine Co. Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., acorporaticn of New York Application July 10, 1931, Serial No. 549,813

37 Claims.

invention concerns an enveloping machine, more particularly a machine for covering a fiat object by building up an envelope around the said object.

One of the objects of this invention is to cover, in rapid succession, a plurality of similar flat objects,

boards, booklets, magazines, catalogues,

etc., hereinafter referred to as books, by an envelope extending over the front and back and all sides, and either completely sealed, or partly sealed, the enveloped object being in the latter case openable without unsealing as required for certain classes of mail.

Another object of my invention is to provide veloped a mechanism in which the flat objects to be enare placed onto an envelope blank, said envelope then being closed over the object.

A further object of this invention is to provide a continuously moving carrier for envelope blanks, to place flat objects onto said blanks on said carrier,

envelop and to close said blanks so as to them.

Another object of this invention is to use for such a carrier a continuously rotating drum which is spacedly flattened off in order to oifer enveloping position.

A further object of my invention is to provide a machine which is adapt-ed to enclose flat objects into envelopes in a continuous, rapid procedure,

so that machinery which prepares the blanks from a roll of paper, may be connected to my machines at one end thereof and so that machinery for printing, addressing and providing the closed envelope with postage, or otherwise conditioning the envelope for mailing, may be added on said machine on the other end thereof.

erating speed.

Other objects of my invention will be brought forth from the following description:-

My machine provides a carrier for envelope blanks,

means positioning envelope blanks on such carrier and positioning the book to be enveloped on top of said blank. and means tightly closing and sealing said blanks around the books so that ered from said carrier in envelopes.

may be they are fully enveloped, and are deliv- The carrier a conveyor, but preferably it is a continuously rotating drum or table, on which are provided a plurality of fiat positions fitting the books.

At those positions, while being operated upon by relatively stationary devices which however move therewith on said drum or said table, the blanks are folded in, closed and sealed over the books.

The enveloped objects are of course in an up- 5 side-down position, when leaving said carrier; the machine also comprises means for reversing the enveloped objects, so that they rest upon their backs, for the purpose of printing or stenciling the face of the envelope. The drawings illustrate some particular modifications by means of which I execute my invention.

In the drawings:-

Fig. 1 shows, in a top view, the general assembly of a machine of my invention. The part of the machine at the bottom of this drawing will hereafter be referred to as a front thereof, the part at the upper end of the sheet will be called the rear of the machine; the left side of the machine will be called the hand wheel side or wheel side of the machine, because it is the side from which the machine is ordinarily approached for the purpose of adjustments and for turning it over by means of the hand wheel shown on that side. The part of the machine facing to- 5 wards the right of Fig. 1 will be referred to as the gear side of this machine.

Figs. 2, 3, and 4 show connecting views of the hand wheel side of my invention. Fig. 2 shows the cutting and feeding mechanism at the rear of the machine. Fig. 3 shows the center drum part of the machine, the book feed which protrudes from the hand wheel side of the machine as shown in Fig. 1, being omitted. Fig. 4 shows the fr0nt,delivery,end of the machine, com- 35 prising exemplary means for printing or marking the face of the envelope.

Fig. 5 shows the developed circumference of the female blanking cylinder. The envelope blank together with the waste parts out therefrom on said cylinder are super-imposed upon this view; and it also shows in a dashed-line a smaller envelope in correct position in relation to the stationary part of the cylinder, towards which the other parts may be adjusted.

Fig. 6 shows the blanking cylinders in a detail view taken from the hand wheel side of the machine.

Fig. 7 shows, in a similar side view, part of the cut-off cylinders, by means of which the envelope blanks are cut into the correct length from a paper roll.

Fig. 8 shows a sectional view of the cut-off knife.

F g. 9 shows a front view of the book feeding mechanism, which protrudes from the hand wheel side of my invention.

Fig. 10 shows one set of the plates, which support the blanks on the drum. The front flap plate is developed into the plane of the book supporting plate. The view also comprises the side folders and developed parts of the respective operating cams, and of the drum flanges. An envelope blank is super-imposed in dot-dashed lines.

Fig. 11 shows in a sectional sectioned front view the blank gripper mechanism on the hand Wheel side of the machine. In this and in later views, that mechanism is arranged on the wheel side of the wheel side drum flange whereas in Fig. 3, it was shown to be exemplarily arranged on the other side thereof.

Fig. 12 shows, in a sectional sectioned front View, projected over from Fig. 10, the. side folders and their operating means.

Fig. 13 shows a wheel side view, illustrating the rear and front folders in Various operating positions, superimposed upon the gear side part of the frame, in which:-

Sector A of Fig. 13 more particularly shows, in a sectional sectioned view, a rear folder before folding.

Sector B of Fig. 13 shows, also in a sectioned view-but supported by a full web of the gear side drum flangethe same, after folding.

Sector C of Fig. 13 shows the front folding mechanism and the closing roller in a side View in which just the wheel side drum stand is removed.

The directions in which these two last views are taken are indicated by arrows and indices I3B and I30, respectively, in Fig. 14.

Sector D of Fig. 13 shows the front folder mechanism in closed position.

Fig. 14 shows a top view related to sector H of the view of Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a sectioned detail View of the adjusting means for the cut-off and blanking cylinders.

Fig-16 is a sectioned parallel perspective,--seen from the wheel side,of the book feed.

Fig. 17 illustrates by a similar view, how the transverse book feed may be dispensed with.

Fig. 18 shows a wheel side view, in which the wheel side drum stand has been removed. It includes a preferred modification of the front folder and of the respective operating mechanism, a back folder, a gripper, and the delivery carriage.

Fig. 19 shows a corresponding front View. (The gripper parts are omitted.)

Fig. 20 shows a detail top view of the delivery carriage.

Fig. 21 shows a large envelope blank.

Fig. 22 shows the supporting plates adjusted for such a blank.

Fig. 23 shows a small envelope blank.

Fig. 24 shows the supporting plates adjusted for such a blank.

Fig. 25 shows the blank of Fig. 23 closed over a book. The flaps of the blank are termed in accordance with the sides of the machine towards which they extend while the blank travels over the top of the drum.

The frame generally comprises pairs of similar stands and brackets, which, respectively are arranged upon the side of the hand wheel 3! and of the gears 32. From the hand wheel side 33 of the frame sideways extends the feed conveyor 35 for the books. The drive of the machine is arranged upon the gear side 34 of the frame, where I provide the tight and loose pulleys 35 on the main shaft 39. The shaft 39 is journalled in the wheel side drum stand 3'! and gear side drum stand 38 of the frame, which arise from the floor.

stands M and 42, respectively. The main shaft 39 carries the hand wheel 3! at its wheel side end, whereas it carries the gear pinion 45 on the gear side, between the respective drum stand 38 and pulleys 36.

The linear speed, at which a point of the pitch circle of pinion d9 travels around the main shaft 39, determines the speed at which the envelopes and the enveloped objects move through the enveloping machine. The drum 43 is provided with three flat positions 44 upon its circumference. Each one of these positions accommodates an envelope and a book during the operation of the enveloping machine, each one of said envelopes and books being worked upon by a corresponding number of devices which rotate with thedrum,

and each one of said devices being operated or actuated by a stationary single cam mechanism, as it passes said mechanism. Such mechanisms are mounted upon the sides 33 and 34 of the frame. The positions 44 and the devices respectively associated therewith, are indexed in the drawings by the letters A, B and C, in the rotation in which said positions receive the envelope blanks and books at the feeding end, and carry them through the enveloping process to the front of the machine. The drum 43comprises a pair of drum flanges 45 and 46 which are fixedly mounted upon the drum shaft 41. The drum shaft 4'! is journalled upon the drum stands 31 and 38 and it carries at the gear side end the large gear 48, which meshes with the pinion 50. There being three operating positions upon the drum 43, the drum passes through three operating cycles during one revolution. Cam shafts and cylinders, by means of the mechanism on which I cyclically operate upon the books and envelopes are therefore provided with driven gears of onethird the pitch diameter of the large gear 38 and the gear 50 (but not into the gear 48 since it 7 rotates in the same direction). The pinion 54 is mounted upon a shaft 53, which is journalled upon the brackets 55 and 56 (not-shown) radially extending from the drum stands 31 and 38. The gear chain continues from gear 50 to gear 56, which rotates the cam shaft 51 through one revolution during one cycle of enveloping operations.

The shaft 51 is supported by a bracket 60 upon the gear side and by a bifurcated bracket 59 upon the wheel side of the machine, one bifurcation of said bracket extending outwardly on the wheel side so as to support the shaft 5'! underneath the book conveyor 35.

Near the rear end of the machine the stands El and 52 arise from the wheel side and gear side stands 4! and "52 of frames 33 and 34. Between the stands 6| and 52 the paper'feeding and cutting mechanism is accommodated. The female and male blanking cylinders 63 and 64 are journalled, suitably adjustably towards each other, upon the shafts 55 and 61. The shafts 65 and 57 are connected to each other and gear 58 by similar gears 66 and 68.

Tierods 59 and H connect the stands BI and 62 above the blanking cylinders. They respectively carry the idler gears Hi and 72, by means of which the gears 15 and 76 on the shafts 13 and 15 of the cut-off cylinders 17 and 18 are synchonously operatively connected to the gears 65 and E38 of the blanking cylinders.

The cyclically synchronized chain of gears, which rearwardly extends from the pinion 4i! ends with gears i l and '56. But gears 82 and 8d of the feeding cylinders 19 and B9 are connected to said chain of gears, by compounded gearing or by change gears 86 and 35. The gears and 8B are detachably connected to each other, for instance by a key sleeve, as commonly known to machinists, and said key sleeve is rotatably mounted upon a suitable shoulder screw 89, which is clamped by a nut er upon an car 88 extending from the stand 62. The car 38 is provided with a slot 90 which is substantially concentrically disposed to the cut-ofi cylinder shaft 73. The gear 86 meshes upon the gear 74 and the gear 85 meshes with the gear 32. According to whether a larger or smaller change gear 85 is used,shoulder screw 89 being ccrrespcndingly adjusted more or less rearwardly in slot 9il,the feed cylinders 19 and 80 will be rotated at more or less speed as compared with the synchronize-d gearing of the enveloping machine.

The shafts 8| and 83 are adjustably journalled upon the stands 6i and 62, so that the cylinders '59 and ti! grippingly clear the blank paper 9|. The roll 32 containing the blank paper 9| is mounted with suitable retarding means upon two brackets rearwardly extending from the main stands as and 12. The roll 92 is transversely ad justed into suitable alignment with the feeding parts of my machine. Exemplarily I have arranged the showing of my drawings in such a manner, that all adjustments for a difference of width of the blanks and the books are made upon the wheel side of the machine. The roll 92 will therefore be adjusted in this machine, so that it always aligns in the same manner upon the gear side, wider or less wide rolls of paper extending more or less towards the hand wheel side of the machine.

From the roll 92 the paper passes over an idler roller 93 which is suitably mounted upon arms rearwardly extending from the stands 6| and 62. The change gear 35 is chosen, so that the positively feeding cylinders l9 and 89 feed during one cycle of the enveloping machine (one revolution of the cutting and blanking cylinders TI, 18 and 53, 5d,) the length of paper 9| corresponding to the exact length of the envelope blank to be cut.

From the feeding cylinders 79 and 80 the paper is suitably fed between the cut-off cylinders i7 and 78. Like the blanking cylinders the cut-off cylinders ll and 78 rotate in opposite directions at the same circumferential speed, one of said cylinders, exemplarily cylinder 11, (Fig. 7) being fully or partly covered with felt or cloth 94 so that the paper is swept in-between the cut-off cylinders by what is called a brush feed. By that term I understand a feeding which is not positive, but which will feed the stock at the speed at which it is delivered from the feeding cylinder 19, provided that the feeding cylinders rotate at the same or at a lower circumferential speed than the cut-off cylinders El and it, the paper slipping between the cylinders H and 18 to the extent to which the speed of said cylinders exceeds the speed of the feeding cylinders 19 and 80. The felt 94 clears a transverse groove 95 provided in cylinder 11, a

channel 96 being inserted into the cylinder for that purpose.

Across the cylinder #8 extends a knife 9?. Owing to the gearing Hi, 8%, connecting the out 01f cylinders l7 and 18, the groove 95 and the knife 91 register with each other, the knife entering upon the groove once upon each revolution of the two cylinders. The knife 9? is exemplarily shown in Fig. 8 as a serrated knife, the cut ting edge 98 being suitably notched. The knife 9! is removably mounted in a suitable slct in cylinder '18, and alongside of knife 9? there are recesses 99 in the cylinder, in which radially slidably mounted the bars ills. These bars are retained in the cylinder by the heads of pins ill 5, which are radially mounted in recesses 35 and which slidably extend into the bars. The compression springs 5&2 are disposed upon the pins I 8| in the recesses 99 and act between the bottom of the recesses 99 and the bars lei}. Normally the bars I06 protrude from the circumference of cylinder 78, substantially shielding the knife 51. But when the knife 91 and the groove 95 come to register with each other during the rotation of the cylinders '17 and "i8, the bars Hid press the paper 9| onto the face Hi3 of the channel The bars, thus tensionally engaging the paper 9|, are pressed back into the recesses the knife 97 enters upon the slot 95, and cuts the length of the paper blank iM (Fig. 7) which been fed through between the cylinders ll and 78 from the paper which is just about to enter therebetween. At that time the length of paper I04 is just entering between the blanking cylinders 63 and 64.

The transfer of the paper stock from one pair of cylinders to the next pair of cylinders, and the insertion of the paper in-between the latter may be assisted by suitable switches commonly known in the art of manufacturing articles from sheets; such switches are shown in Fig. 6, in connection with the delivery of the paper from between rollers 63 and E4 to a conveyor tape.

Since preferably the paper is fed at a positive speed between the cylinders 63 and 8d, the distance between the cut-off cylinders ll and '58 and the blanking cylinders 63 and 6 2'. should exceed the length of the longest envelope blank cut by the former, contrary to the showing of Fig. 2 in which the length of the blank iii-l exceeds that distance. The transfer of the blanks,--after they have been cut oii by cylinders T! and 'IS,-to the blanking cylinders 6-3, 8 5, may then cyclically be brought about by suitable cenveyor tapes, endlessly extending in the space between cylinders l7 and 83, and cylinders '23 and 64. Such conveyor bands are commonly known in the art of paper manufacture and are used elsewhere in this machine as will be explained later.

The blanking cylinders 63 and 64 are not shown in detail in Fig. 2. The manner, in which I arrange these cylinders in order to obtain adjustability for different size envelope blanks, is shown in the gear side view of Fig. 6 and in the developed view of the blanking cylinder 53 given in Fig. 5.

The cylinder 63 comprises two wheels Hi5, one of which is fixedly mounted upon the shaft 55, in

predetermined alignment with the gear side of the paper stock fed through the machine; the second wheel is transversely adjustably mounted upon the shaft 65, that wheel being kept in angular alignment with the first wheel by the feather key Hl'l. Between the wheels M25 I arrange one'or more discs I as (not shown in Fig. 6), which serve to support the blank intermediary to the wheels I95. Similar wheels (not shown) of cylinder 65 support the endless tapes I II (Fig.2). The sectors I69 and H are the only parts of the wheels IE5 proper, which prodated the substantially half-round segments I I3 and III. Screws H5 serve to set the segments at any angle around the circumference of the wheels, the cylindrical surfaces of the segments being in circular alignment with the surfaces of the sectors I59 and IIB.

Upon the developed surface of the wheels, a large envelope blank I I? is shown to be placed in position, in Fig. 5. From the body of said blank extend the large front flap I I8, the rear flap I I9 and the wheel side and gear side flaps I25 and I2I. The surface of the sectors I89 and H5 and segments II 3 and IM are shown to be provided with substantially transverse grooves I22, I23, I24 and I25, in alignment with the sides of the side flaps I20 and I2! of the blank. From the inner ends of said grooves extend substantially circumferentially the grooves I26 and. I 22!, I28 and I29, up to the ends of the sectors and segments respectively. These grooves confront the rear and front flaps II 9 and H8 of the blank, respectively. In the corners of the sectors and the segments which are separated from the lolank by the grooves I22-IZ9, short pins I35 protrude from the sectors and segments and engage upon the waste pieces I3I, which are cut out of the length of the paper stock IIJ I by the blanking operation. The sectors and segments may be provided with circularly disposed grooves I32 and I 33, which serve to accommodate switches, by means of which the waste I3! is'stripped off the cylinder 63, and by means of which the blank is guided over to and around the male cylinder 54, respectively. The grooves I32 may be omitted if scrapers I34, which are provided with clearance spaces for the pins I35 are used for removing the waste. The waste, which is thus removed from the cylinder 55, drops by way of a chute I35 into a waste bin I35 (Fig. 2)

A tongue I 31 slidably extends from the segment I53 into a corresponding groove I 38 in segment I I I. This tongue and groove arrangement serves to keep the segments H3 and H4 in angular alignment during adjustments.

A smaller envelope blank I39 aligns in Fig. 5 with the envelope blank I II at the corner between the rear fiap and the gear side flap. The outline of the part of the smaller blank, which does not align with the large blank I, is indicated by a dashed line. It is readily seen, that the blanking cylinder may be adjusted to fit the smaller blank I39 by first adjusting the wheel I05 along its feather key-way towards the wheel I05 and by then adjusting the segments II3 and H6 towards the sectors IE9 and IIII. The grooves I22-I29 function substantially in the manner of the grooves 55, registering knives, similar to the knife 97 of the cut-off cylinder, being arranged longitudinally and transversely upon the male blanking cylinder 55. The cylinder 63 is, however, not covered with a felt 94, because we have a positive feeding in the blanking operation, whereas there is a brush feed in the cut-off operation. Cylinder 64 may be provided with suitable clearance openings for pins I55. The knives of the blanking cylinder G l are provided in the drawings (Fig. 6), as far as they are shown, with the same numerals as thecorresponding grooves of cylinder 63 to which numerals in each instance the index A has been added. The parts of the male blanking cylinder, as far as shown, are indicated by the numerals of the corresponding parts of the female blanking cylinder; but to these numerals are also added the indices A.

For the purpose of tensionally gripping the blank paper and the paper blanks between the various pairs of cylinders, I show, in Fig. 15, the journalling means of the respective shafts, or of one of the respective pairs of shafts. This substantially bisected sectioned top View of one of the bearings exemplarily applies to shaft I3. The journal boxes I57 are longitudinally slidable in the stand GI. The set screw I58 is recessed on its end, the pivot I55 supporting .a compression spring IGI which at its free end is seated in a hole I58 countersunk into the box I5'I. The springs I5I provide the pressure for tensioning the cylinders into gripping engagement with the blank paper or paper blanks. But that tension would normally not be sufiicient, to perform the cutting and blanking operations in a positive manner. For that reason the screw I58 is fiat at its bottom, and is set by means of the nut I62'so that it comes to rest against the bottom of the hole I55, and prevents the cylinders from being pressed further outwardly against the tension of springs ISI, when the cutting operation is performed.

A switch I iIl serves to guide the blank, as delivered from the blanking cylinders, around cylinder "(it onto the endless tapes I4I. These tapes extend around the idler pulley I 52 which is rotatably mounted between the stands 5! and I52, the take-up pulley M3, which is adjustably mounted between the stands 4| and 42, and the driving pulley I 44, which is mounted upon the shaft 53.

A second switch I55, (Fig. 6) serves to retain the blank upon the endless tape I II, where said tape parts from the cylinder 6 then the blank is tensionally engaged between the endless tapes II and the endless tapes I45; the latter extend from an idler pulley M'I mounted upon a rearward extension I58 of brackets 59 and 50 over a. pulley I59, mounted on shaft 49. Gears 5!) and 53 serve to drive the tapes MI and I45 at corresponding linear speeds.

The blank is guided upwardly around pulley I 59, resting upon tape I46, by a switch, (not shown), so that it comes into tangential alignment with the circumference of drum 43; and its arrival upon the drum is timed so that the front end of the blank aligns with the transverse front edge of a cylindrically shaped flat plate' I 55] extending across drum 43 (Fig. 3).

From the drum shaft I! extend substantially radially the three arms I5I of spider I52. The plates I50 are circumferentially adjustable upon the drum as will be explained later. The spider I52 may be suitably spaced in relation to the end of plate I55, by being angularly adjusted upon the shaft III. For that purpose, slotted arms I55 extend from the arms I5I of the spider I52, the slots in arms I55 being concentrically disposed in respect to the drum shaft 31. The screws I56 extend through the slots in arms I55 into the spokes of the drum flanges 43 or 45 so that the spiders, whichabut upon the wheel side or upon the gear side, of the wheel side and the gear side flanges, may be adjusted in relation to said flanges. From a transverse, rotatable shaft I53 at the free ends of the arms II, extend the grippers I54, which engage the blank upon the plate I 50, when swung in a counterclockwise direction into position I5 iA.

The shaft I53 is connected by a chain of gears I63, I64 and I85-rotatably mounted on the he nd wheel side spider,to a transverse shaft I58, which is supported by the spider arms on both sides of the machine, and which carries at its free end, at the hand wheel side, a lever 181 (Fig. 11). Lever I61 carries at its free end a roller I58. That roller is suitably tensioned (not shown) onto a substantially annular cam I99 which is mounted upon the inside of the web of the wheel side drum stand 81. As seen in Fig. 3, the cam IE9 is provided with a high part I18 extending around about half the circumference thereof, said high part swinging the gripper I54 into the blank engaging position I5:i.A. A. depression ill in the cam I 69 causes the gripper I58 to swing from the blank engaging position I 54A through about approximately 180 degrees into a position in which the other end I12 of the gripper is swung out from between the drum flanges through a clearance opening I13 in plate I58 (Fig. thus kicking up the front flap H8 of the envelope from plate I58 so that it may suitably be engaged upon by means folding that flap over onto the book.

Fig. 10 also shows that the curved plate I58 supporting the front flap I18 of the blank comprises a stationary part I18 and a longitudinally adjustable part I15, which is adjustable upon the circumference of the drum flanges 95 and 59, so that the points at which the front flap is gripped, may be longitudinally adjusted in respect to the book supporting plate I18. The latter one is transversely adjustable in width so that it may be set to the exact width of the book supported thereby. The transversely adjustable part i1'i engages upon the stationary part I18 in groove fashion, and bars I19 extend between the flanges I85 and I46, for the purpose of adjustably supporting part I11.

The book feed 35 (Figs. 1, 2, 9, 16 and 17) is supported upon two rods I 88 and I8! protruding from the hand wheel side of the drum stand 31 and of the stand 8!, respectively. The rods I88 and I8I are connected by brackets I82 and I83, which respectively carry the angles I84. The brackets I82 and I83 may be transversely adjusted upon the rods I80 and I8I, so that the vertical sides of the angles clear the exact width of the books I85.

The books rest frontwardly against a plate I 88 which is supported by the brackets I92 and I83 in a position at right angles to the extent of the angles I84; the plate extends transversely from the book feed into the machine substantially up to the slightly more inclined plate I81, the upper end of which faces the circumference of the drum 93. The plate I86 is transversely slotted where it extends up from the angles I84 substantially to the width of said angles. Through these slots I88 (Fig. 9) extend endless belts I89, the upper extents of which are slidably supported by the angles 84; the looped ends of the belts are supported by idler pulleys I98 on shaft IBI and by driving pulleys I9! on a shaft I92, which is supported by the brackets I 82 and I83. The idler pulleys I 98 form one unit with the sprocket I93, said unit being rotatably mounted upon the rod 381. Sprocket I93 is connected by chain I94 to sprocket I95 which is mounted upon the shaft I92 and which is smaller than sprocket I93 substantially to the ratio of the diameters of the pulleys I 9| and I99. Upon the free end of the shaft I92, a provide a ratchet I96. That ratchet is operatively engaged by the pawl I91. The pawl I91 is eccentrically mounted by means of an adjustable shoulder stud I98 in a slotof the disc I99. That disc is mounted upon the free end of shaft 51 where said shaft extends from the bracket 59. Since the shaft 51 makes one revolution for each operative cycle of the machine, the pawl I91 feeds the belts I98 for a short distance towards the plate I86 during each cycle of the machine. This feeds the books I85, which stand backs-up upon the belts I89 against the plate I86, the belts I89 sliding underneath said books after the books have been stacked tightly against the plate I88.

One book, the book resting against the plate I88, is transversely pushed along the plate away from the belts I89 by the jaw 200. The jaw is less thick than one of the books and forms part of a slide 29I, which is transversely movable in a slot 282 of plate I88. A link 283 connects the slide 28I to the pitman 284, which is mounted upon a shaft 285. Shaft 285 is supported by a bracket 298 extending from the wheel side of the machine ,and carries upon one end the arm 291 with roller 288. The roller 298 is tensioned by a spring 209 against the drum cam 2H1, which is mounted upon shaft 51.

During each cycle of operations of my machine, the cam 2I9 causes the jaw 288 to move transversely back and forth in the plate I85, each time feeding one book from the stack of books through a clearance opening in front of one angle I 84 onto a trough 2 (Fig. 16). The plate I85, which comprises at its lower end the said trough 2I I will ordinarily belong enough to accommodate one book 2I2 (Fig. 1) between the stack I85, and the inclined plate I81. The jaw 280 moves transversely to just about the Width of one book, the book which has been removed from the stack by said jaw during its prior back and forth movement, being pushed transversely towards the gear side by the next book. The trough part 2| I, which is superimposed upon the lower end of plate I86 extends for a certain distance across the plate I81, which is mounted by means of lateral extensions 2I4 (Fig. 1) upon lugs 2I3 (Figs. 2 and 3) extending from the drum stands 31 and 38. Upon the gear side of plate I81 a trough 2I5, similar to trough 2H and substantially in alignment therewith, arises from plate I 81 (Figs. 1 and 16). Between troughs 2H and 2I5 fits another trough 2I6 which is mounted upon a slide 2I1. The slide 2I1 slides in the plane of plate I81 up and down. In Fig. 1 it is shown to push up, by means of trough 2I6, a book 2I8, which has been pushed by book 2I2 into the longitudinal alignment in which it is shown.

Upon the face of slide 2I1 is longitudinally adjustably fastened a bracket 2I9, upon which is hinged the arm 229. The arm 228 is provided at its lower end with a slot 22I which slidably accommodates the shaft 51. A roller 222 laterally extends from the arm 220 and is engaged upon a cam 223 mounted on shaft 51. Therefore the slide 2I1 moves up and down during each operating cycle of my machine, each time feeding a book onto the drum 43.

If the stands 6| and 62 are moved further back on the machine, or arrange the respective feeding and cutting mechanism horizontally below the book feed 35, or make the book feed longitudinally shorter, the book feed may be arranged directly upon the machine, in front of or above the feeding and cutting mechanism, instead of extending therefrom on the hand wheel. side. In that case the transverse feed behind plate I86 may be dispensed with, the belt conveyor I89 feeding the books directly onto plate I81 as shown in Fig. 17. In this instance the ratchet shaft 132 with pulleys 195 is arranged below the plate 181 and the angles I82 extend backwardly from said plate. A bite 222 takes, in the case of this modification, the place of the trough Zlil, said bite lifting a book from the front of the stack of books I85 directly up onto the drum. The book 2i3 is shown in Fig. 3 to be raised in this manner. This operation is timed with the arrival of a flat position 44 on the drum in the position 22A. While the flat position 44A moves in a clockwise direction around shaft 41, the bite 222 correspondingly raises the book, until the book 258 and position 54 arrive below endless belt 22% extending over the idler pulley 225. Since the pulley 225 is substantially radially movable in respect to shaft 21, as will be presently explained, the book may then be gripped between the belt 22% and the blank H1A of position 44A, said blank being held in position by the gripper IE lA.

From the front and rear stands 3.1 and 38 frontwardly extend arms 221 and 228, upon which is longitudinally adjustably journalled the shaft 229. Shaft 223 carries a gear 236 which is rotated, in cycle with the operations of the machine, by the gear 48. The idler pinion 232, which is mounted upon an arm 23! extending from stand 38, operatively connects the gear 232 with gear 23 on shaft 233. Shaft 233 is radially adjustably journalled in the brackets 235 and 236 and it carries the pulley 231 which drives the belt 223, at a linear speed substantially equal to the circumferential speed of the drum 43 (making allowance for the flat positions 44).

A slot 233 in arm 239' slidably accommodates the shaft 233. The arm 232 is hinged upon onev arm 243 of angle lever 24!, which is rotatably supported in extensions 243 and 244. of stands 31 and 38. The other arm 242 of angle lever 24! carries the idler pulley 225. From the arm 23,9 laterally extends av roller 245, which is engaged upon a cam 24B- mounted upon shaft 233. For purposes of illustration the cam 246. is shown in Fig. 3- with a rather steep rise in eccentricity. Of course, it does not have that degree of eccentricity, because it simply serves to rock; the angle lever 22! so that the pulley 225 is moved in and out towards the drum in order to engage upon'theblank and the book fed under belt 226 and in order to follow the circumference of the drum 43, which is irregular owing to the flat; positions 44. A set of idler pulleys 2'41 and 248 are supported by a shaft 249 bridging extensions 243 and 22 3, and by arms 258, which are sup.- ported by shaft 229-, respectively, and they take up the slack in the endless belt 223.

While the properly positioned book and blank are retained upon the circumference of the drum 43 by the belt 223, the side folders come into action, fold over the said flaps I26 and 121 of the blank, and finally hold the book on the plate I15 at the flat position 44, (Figs. 3, and 12). Underneath the flat positions of drum 43. lugs 25l extend substantially radially from the circumference of the drum flanges 45 and 46 into the spaces between adjoining 1 spokes of said flanges (Fig.- 18) These lugs are slotted, and 'in slots the pair of flat bars 252 and 253 are slidably accommodated. These bars are adapted to slide upon each other, being suitably held together by shoulder screws 254 extending through slots in bar 252, and the spring 255 serves to tension the bars away from each other, while they remain in slidable contact, so that the lugs 256 and 251 at the respective ends tend to move away from each other. The bars are also tensioned towards shaft 41. Therefore they engage radially. inwardly as well as oppositely transversely outwardly upon the two faces-258 and 230, and the two faces 259 and 26!, of the cam sections 262 and 263 respectively. These cams are respectively fastened upon the insides of the gear side and hand wheel side drum stands 38 and 31.

From the bars 252 and 253, flat bars 264 and 265 radially extend slidably into slots in lugs 266 which are fastened upon shaft 41. The springs 261 extend between the bars 264 and 265 and the lugs 266, thus forcing the lugs 256 and 251 onto the faces 258 and 259 of the cams 232 and 263, respectively.

Upon the flat bars 252 and 253are transversely adjustably mounted the horses 268 and 269. These horses carry at their upper ends, the angle pieces 210 and 21!. Since the books, regardless of their widths, are ordinarily permanently aligned on one side,in this exemplary execution with the outside of the drum flange 4fi,no transverse adjustment on horses 268 is necessary. But to the extent to which the part 811 of plate I16 is adjusted towards and away from the hand wheel side in order to accommodate the width of a book, the horse 269 is adjusted in the same directions.

It will be seen that the cams 262 and 263 out wardly lift the bars 252 and 253, while the book and blank are retained upon the drum by endless belt 225. The angle pieces 210 and 2H thereby turn up the flaps l2! and I20 of the blank. The faces 26!] and 23! then press the lugs-256 and 251 at the ends of the flaps towards each other, so that the angle pieces 260 and 251' fold the flaps onto the top of the book. Since in further clockwise direction the cam faces 253 and 259 are receded towards the shaft 41, the angle pieces 210 and 21! come to rest upon the turned over, folded flaps I2! and I20, holding the book on plate 116. V r

The book being thus retained upon the flat position of the drum, the rear flap is folded over as soon as the book passes away from under belt 226 and pulley 231. The folding of the rear flap is brought about by the angle piece 212, which is disposed to substantially the width of the largest book, extending through suitable recesses in the drum flanges (Figs. 3, 13 and 14). Angle 212 is mounted upon the ends of arms 213, which are slotted near their rear ends, slidably accommodating a shaft 214, which is rotatably supported in the spokes of the drum flanges 45 and 46. The shaft 214 carries at its gear side end a roller arm 215 with a roller 216. Said roller is tensioned onto a cam 211 which is stationarily mounted upon the inside of the gear side drum stand 38. The shaft 214 also carries a gear 218, which meshes upon a gear 219. The latter is mounted upon a shaft 280, which carries cams 28| in longitudinal alignment with the arms 213. The arms. 213 are tensioned against the cams 28l,'by a spring 283 which is shown in Fig. 14 to extend between the shaft 280 and the angle piece 212.

The drum flanges 45 and 46 rotatably support a shaft 285, which carries at its gear side end a roller arm 285 with a roller 286. That roller is tensioned towards a shaft e! and travels over the cam pieces 23'! and 288, which are mounted upon the inside of the gear side drum stand 38. In the modification shown in Fig. 3, the shaft 284 carries arms 289, on which rest rollers 296, pressed onto said arms by spring tension, said rollers being mounted upon the arms 213. The tension of spring 283 causes the rollers 29%] on the arms 2'13 to be pressed in that instance upon the arms 289. In the modification of Figs. 13 and 15, the curved arms 29!, which are mounted upon shaft 28 are hingedly connected to the arms 2'53 by links 292.

The angle piece 2'52 is raised from the position in which it is shown in sector A of Fig. 13 to that of sector B by the cam 28?. The roller arm 215, actuated by cam 27?, rotates the cam 28! which in turn pushes the arm 2?3 in a clockwise direc-.

tion around shaft 214 and, thereby, the angle pieces 272 over the book 218. After the roller 286 has rolled off the cam 28?, the angle piece 2'52 comes to rest upon the rear flap, which thus has been folded over the rear of the book.

When the book H8 is placed onto the flat position 44 it will ordinarily align with the rear plate I16. More or less long books will therefore not be in alignment with the front edge of the plate H5, (unless said front plate is longitudinally adjustable as it is adjustable in width). The means folding over the front flap N8 of the blank must therefore be moved along the circumference of the drum according to the length of the book. For that reason the shaft 293 of the front flap folder, shown in Fig. 3, and in the sectors C and D of Fig. 13 is supported by brackets 29%, which are circulnferentially adjustably mounted upon the outsides of the drum flanges A5 and t6. Shaft 293 extends through suitable slots in the drum flanges.

The front flap folder 2525 is mounted upon shaft 293, fitting through a clearance opening 59 3 in the front flap supporting plate i558 (Fig. 10). The front flap folder 295 is actuated by the roller 2%, on roller arm 29?. The roller arm 29? is mounted upon the hand wheel side end of shaft 293 and it is operated by the cam 298, which is mounted upon the inside of the hand wheel drum stand 3? and which is indicated in a dot-dashed line in Fig. 13.

The roller arm 29! is normally tensioned in clockwise direction into its position of Sector 0 of Fig. 13, in which position the front flap folder is disengaged from the book. During further rotation of the drum the roller 2% strikes the nose 299 at the end of the cam 253, and is swun through about 140 degrees into the position of Sector D of Fig. 13, engaging upon the front flap of the blank extending over the front of th book, said front flap having in the meantime been turned onto the book by the device which wiil be presently explained. When the shaft 293 reaches substantially its lowest position during the rotation of the drum t3, the roller 295 snaps over the end of earn 298 back into the position of Sector 0 of Fig. 13, thus releasing the book.

The shaft 229, which makes one revolution during the time of one operating cycie of my machine, carries, near the center of the machine, a sector to!) from which a transverse plate 351 extends towards the gear side and, separately, two transverse plates 3% and 3533, the convex faces of all of which protrude to the pitch diameter of gear 238 (Figs. 1 and 3), having therefore the same peripheral speed of rotation in counter clockwise direction as the surface of the front flap supporting plate I mounted upon the circumference of the drum 43, and rotating in clockwise direction. The faces of sector plates 33!, 582 and 3233 correspond, if developed, to the strips of glue indicated in Fig. 21 (symmetrically speaking). If the sector 39% with the plate Sci is moved towards the gear side of the machine, the developed face of these parts will correspond symmetrically to the gummed strips of Fig. 23.

These gum strips are applied to the front flap of the envelope by the said parts, while they roll over the flap H8 resting on the front flap supporting plate I56 and an adjustment for different widths of envelopes is brought about by moving the sector and plates along the shaft 229. The spaces between the faces of the plates Sill, and are provided in order to clear the two gripper fingers EM, the position of which in relation to the front supporting plate is indicated in Fig. 10.

Below the shaft 228 a roller 3% is provided for, which is driven by a gear 335 meshing into the gear 230, and which is partly submersed in the contents of a tank 335 suspended from a bar Sill resting upon the arms 22? and 228 extending from the hand wheel side and gear side drum stands 3'3 and 38. of the sectors and plates 389, 38!, 3&2 and 393.

The box 338, in which the shaft 229 is journalled, is fastened upon plates 338 resting on top of the arms 22'! and 228, said box being tensioned backwardly against the set screw 3H). eccentric rod 3H extends through the plate 3% and through the extreme upper front ends of arms 22'? and 228. By rotation of the handle 3E2, which is fastened upon the end of rod 35 i, the shaft 229, may be pulled away from the drum for a short distance, so as to disengage the sectors and plates 335i, 158i, 382 and 308 from the surface of the front flap supporting blades when the gumming of the flaps is to be temporarily suspended.

Fingers 3i3 are longitudinally, frontwa-rdiy disposed below tank 306, extending from a shaft 3H! which is supported in the drum stands. These fingers prevent the throwing-up of the front flap fit into adhesion with the bottom of the tank 386, when that flap is turned over onto the book after it has been released from the gripper fingers l5i.

After the front flap has been released, it is raised in the modification of Figs. 1, 3, 10, and 13,

from the supporting plate by the arms H2 extending from the back of the gripper fingers i 54, so that it comes to rest on top of the roller 3ft. That roller is supported between arms 3 I t mounted upon the shaft 3i? (as shown in Fig. 3). The shaft 3i? is mounted upon radial extension 349 and MS of the wheel side and gear side drum stands 3? and 38.

The lever 329, which frontwardly extends shaft 35?, serves to rotate the shaft 3H, so that the roller M5 is moved towards and away from the drum 43. From the free end of lever 329 depends an arm 32!, which is slotted at its lower end, slidably accommodating a shaft 322 which rotatably extends across the stands and 32. The shaft 322 is operatively-connected with the gear :38 by a train of gears 323, 32d and said shaft rotating in synchronism with the cycles of my machine. The arm 32] is provided with a It applies the paste or gum to the faces roller 325 at its lower end, which is actuated by a cam 32'! mounted upon the shaft 322. A rocking motion is thus imparted by the cam 32?" to the arms 3H3, which support the roller M5, the motion of said roller being such that it is pressed onto the book position it, which has proceeded a little further in clockwise direction from the showing of Fig. 18. The front folder 295 (see sector D of Fig. 13) holding the front of the book, roller Bid now rolls over the front flap after" it has been turned over onto the book, pressing the gum strips of the front flap (Fig. 21), onto the wheel side flap i 26 and rear flap l E9 of the envelope blank.

The gum strips 328, 329, 338 and 33!, which correspond to the faces of the sector and plates 353B, 39!, S532 and 393, clear the edges of the front flap i it. The gum strip 328 clears the hand wheel side margin of the flap in order to allow the flap to be depressed by the roller 355 between the side flap folding angles 2 and Eli}, which overlap the book for a short distance. The angles 27! and 278 may therefore hold the book (like the other folders) until it isreleased by all folders at once. The gummed strips 328, 339 and 33! are rearwardly arranged from the front edge of the front flap of the blank in order to be depressed into contact with the rear flap M9 by the roller 3E5, before said roller has travelled to the edge of the front flap H8 so that said roller may be lifted away and will not touch the flap H9 and possibly upset it, and it also will more readily clear the rear folding angle 212 which is still engaged upon the book.

In order to be able readily to adjust the roller 855 to the width of the front flap of the blank used, it is made in two sections, one of which is rotatably and thrustwise supported by the arms 3! 6 on the gear side of the machine; the other one is similarly supported on the arm 3H5 on the hand wheel side of the machine; but the latter arm 36% is transversely adjustable upon shaft 3W, along the keyway 332. The shaft 333 of the wheel side section 334 of the roller 3l5,

of said roller. roller 345 may readily be adjusted, unless rollers of different lengths are exchangeably used for different widths of envelopes.

The front folding. and gripping means, which have been heretofore described, may be replaced by the modified parts indicated in Figs. 18 and 19. A front flap folding angle 336 is here indicated to extend across substantially the full width of the book and front flap supporting plates. The flanges 15 and 55 are recessed at 331 in order to clear said angle. The angle is mounted upon the arms 338, which are supported at their other ends, by means of. slot-sprovided therein, upon a shaft 339. Shaft 339 rotatably extends between the flanges 45 and 45. It carries at its gear side end a roller arm 3% with a roller 3 H. That roller is tensioned onto a substantially circular cam 342, which upon the inside of the gear side drum stand 38 is super-imposed upon the cam 27?. The periphery of cam 3&2 clears at all points of its circumference the cam 21?, so that the roller 276 operating on cam 2T5, and the roller arm 215, always clear the cam 362.

A lever 3 33 extends from shaft 339' and is connected by a link 3% to a lever 3 55. The lever 345 is fastened upon shaft 3%, which carries, substantially in alignment with the arms 338, the earns 34?.

The book supporting plate 3481s. in. this instanceentirely detached from the front flap supporting. plate 349 and is longitudinally as well as 348, in order to fold over the front flap MS of the blank. Since the supporting plate 3 2-8 will be adjusted for different lengths of books in that direction, the surface of the cam t ll is spirally disposed, so that it just has to be angularly set upon shaft 346 in order to push the angle 336 for. a certain. distance over the book on plate 348;.to whatever distance said plate extends over the recesses 33.! in thedrum flanges. The mechanism and movement by which the arm 338 is raised and lowered in the recess 33? is equivalent to the mechanismand movement used in the showing of sectors A and B of Fig. 13 for raising the angle 2 12. It comprises a roller arm 35!) mountedupon the hand wheel side of a shaft 35!, which. rotatably extends across the flanges 45 and 4S, and the levers 352 extending from shaft. 35L, and connected at their free ends. by links 353 to the arms 338. The roller 351toni roller arm 350 is engaged by cam members 355 mounted upon the hand wheel 3'! of the drum stand.

In this modification of my machine, I eliminate not only the folder 295, but also the kickup extension H2 at the backof the gripper fingers l54. The gripper finger 353 is therefore. shown without a rear'eXtension-in Fig. 18, and the depression Ill on cam H59- may be dispensedwith. The angle 335 raises the flap MS of the envelope blank in this instance, and folds it completely over onto'the back with the aid of the air passing thereover, so that the roller 355 serves only to depress the front flap of the blank onto the book, and that the gum strips on the front flap are pressed onto the other flaps withwhichthe front flap is tobe sealedly connected. The four folders or folding angles may therefore hold the book upon all four sides, until itis released by them by a reversal of the folding steps, and drops down onto the carriage 351. The angle 536 is provided with clearance openings 358, whichclear the stops 359 on car riage 351 (Fig. 20-).

The construction of the book supporting plate 348 and of the front flap supporting plate 3'39 used in connection with the modifications of Figs. 18 and 19 is illustrated in Figs. 22 and 24. The respective plates are shown to be adjusted in-Fig. 22 for a larger envelopeblank, Fig. 24 shows them for a smaller envelope blank. Figs. 21 and 23 show the respective blanks. In Figs. 22 and 24 the plates are shown to-be mounted upon developed sectors of like length of the drum flanges 35 and d6. Thebook supporting plate 348 is shown to consist of four sections 360 and 36!, 352 and 353; the section 369 is fixedly mounted upon the flange 46, whereas the sections 35!, 362, and 363 can'be adjusted and f'astenedup'on flanges 26 and 45 in the positions indicated in Figs. 22 and 24 as well as in intermediary positions. The plate 350 is shown in Fig. 22 to extend over recess 33?. In Fig. 24% iscollapsed so as to coincide at its front edge with one side of said recess. The front flap supporting plate 349 clears the recess 33], in Fig. 22, whereas it is shown to be adjusted in counter clockwise direction upon the flanges t5 and A6 in Fig. 24', so that it extends over the recess 33'! and fully supports the flapduring the gumming operation. 1

The carriage 351' is longitudinally travellably 75 supported by means of wheels in the channel shaped tracks 335 and 364, which are connected by a bottom plate 363 and which are mounted upon a shaft 331. That shaft is rotatably supported upon the printing press stands 369 and 3') upon the hand wheel side and gear side of my machine. When the enclosed book 368 of Fig. 25 is released from the drum, the part facing away from the drum drops onto the carriage 35?, and the book is then positioned upside up on the carriage, as seen in Fig. 20. It is retained in position upon the carriage by the book stops 359 mounted upon the carriage 357, by the angle piece 31!, which is stationarily mounted upon the carriage on the gear side, and by the angle piece 372 which is transversely adjustably mounted upon the carriage 35? on the hand wheel side of the machine. The rear of the carriage and of the frame supporting the same is raised so as directly to receive the book from the drum 43, when it is released therefrom. The carriage is then lowered, being swung around shaft 36'! in counter-clockwise direction by means of the arm 313, which is hinged upon a lug downwardly extending from the plate 333, and the slotted end of which extends over the shaft 322. Arm 313 carries a roller 374, which is engaged upon a cam 375 mounted upon shaft 322.

An ear 373 extends down from the carriage 351 and is connected by the link 37? to the upper end of the two-armed lever 318. The lever 318 is fulcrumed upon a rod 379, which extends between the two stands 4| and 42; its lower, free end is hinged upon the roller arm 383 which slottedly extends over the shaft 322. The roller 38! extending from the side of arm 383 is engaged upon by cam 382, which is mounted upon the shaft 322.

The carriage 357 is in its back position, when it receives the book 338 from the drum. The cam 382 then rolls the carriage frontwardly by means of the lever 3l8, and the arm 373 in the meantime raises the front end of the book and carriage, so that the front end of the book now faces the gap between rollers 383 and 334. The roller 334 is mounted upon the shaft of the intermediary gear 324 and travels at a peripheral speed equal to the linear speed at which the feeding movements of my machine generally take place.

The gear 324 connects by means of the idler gear 385, to a gear 386, on the blank cylinder of the printing press. The gear 386 is connected by a train of gears 33? and 388 to a gear 339 on the shaft 399 of the form cylinder of the printing press. The vertically movable roller 383 is driven by a chain 39| from the shaft 393 of the form cylinder at the same circumferential speed as the roller 384-the roller 392 serving to take up the slack on the chain 39l--; the rollers 383 and 384 feed the book in between the blanket and form cylinders. The form cylinder 39! is inked by a chain of rollers 393, 394, 395 and 396, from the ink roller 393, which is mounted in the ink tank 399, on a shaft 433, said shaft being driven by a sprocket 40L The sprocket 43! is connected by a chain 492 to the sprocket 403, which is coupled with the gear 404 rotating upon the idler stud 495 on stand 4|. Gear 404 is driven from shaft 322 by the pinion 433 protruding from the hand wheel side of the machine.

The shaft 322 is connected by a chain 401 on the gear side of the machine to a sprocket 498 on a shaft 409 extending across the stands 4| and 42. The shaft 439 carries the gear 4H3, which drives the gear 4 on conveyor shaft M2. The conveyor shaft 4l2 carries a pulley 4l3, over which extends one end of the endless belt M4. The other end of said belt is supported by a pulley 445. The pulley M3 is mounted between two brackets 4H3, which frontwardly adjustably extend from a frontward extension 41? arranged upon the two stands 45 and 42. By means of a chute M3, the enveloped books 4l9 drop onto the conveyor belt 4 [4, after their face sides have been printed by form cylinder 337.

While I have shown and described my invention with some degree of particularity, it will be realized that other modifications and changes may be resorted to under special conditions. I therefore do not wish to be limited and restricted to the exact details shown and described, but reserve the right to make such changes and modifications as may fairly fall within the scope of the subject matter now being claimed.

What I claim is:

1. Enveloping means for flat obj ects,comprising a plate supporting said objects positioned on envelope blanks the flaps of which extend beyond the sides of said objects, said supporting plate being expansible length-and crosswise so that the edges thereof may be adjusted to register with the sides of various sizes of said objects, folding devices surrounding said supporting plate below said flaps, and means extending said folding devices over said objects, so that said flaps are folded onto said objects.

2. An enveloping machine for flat objects, comprising means supporting said objects in position on an envelope blank the flaps of which extend beyond the sides of said objects, flap folding devices surrounding said means on all sides and adapted to close in thereabove, and cams stationary relatively to each other but continuously moving in relation to said devices and to said means and actuating said devices.

3. In an enveloping machine for flat objects, in combination with devices building up and closing an envelope around said objects, a carrier drum, segmental flats spacedly provided on said drum each surrounded by said devices and adjustable in length and width to carry said objects, and a mechanism cyclically actuating said devices and moving said drum through the angular distance between said flats.

4. In an enveloping machine for flat objects, in combination with devices building up and closing an envelope around said objects, a carrier drum on which said devices are mounted, flats on said drum each surrounded by a set of said devices and supporting said objects on said drum, cams stationarilymounted on said machine in operative alignment with said devices, and a mechanism continuously rotating said drum, said cams actuating said devices in cycles corresponding to the period of travel of said drum through the angular distance between said flats.

5. In an enveloping machine for fiat rectangular objects, in combination with devices folding the flaps of an envelope blank over the four sides of said objects, a carrier drum, segmental flats spacedly provided on said drum and adapted to carry said objects, and a mechanism continuously rotating said drum successively actuating said devices but retaining all devices in folded over holding engagement upon said object until the object is fully enclosed.

6. In a machine for enclosing flat objects in envelope blanks, a frame, a drum mounted on said frame, fiat and cylindrically disposed faces alternatingly'disposed upon the circumference of said drum and adapted respectively to support said objects positioned on said blanks and flaps of said blanks, gumming means with cylindrically disposed faces mounted in said frame and adapted to engage upon and to gum said flaps supported by said cylindrical faces, and a mechanism oppositely rotating said drum and said means at like peripheral speeds of the respective cylindrical faces.

'7. In a machine for enclosing flat objects in envelope blanks, a frame, a rotating drum mounted in said frame, flat faces on said drum adapted to support said objects positioned on said blanks on top of said faces, folding devices mounted upon'said drum, arranged around said flat faces, and adapted to close in from the sides, front andback, successively above said faces and objects, folding said flaps and holding said flaps onto said objects and the latter on the said faces, and means mounted on said frame and engaging upon and actuating said folding devices while said drum rotates.

8. In a machine for enclosing flat objects in envelope blanks, a frame, a drum rotatably mounted in said frame, flat faces on said drum adapted to support said objects positioned on said blanks, the flaps of said blanks extending from between said objects and said faces, folding devices mounted upon said drum and arranged around said fiat faces, and stationary means mounted on said frame and raising and closing said folding devices above said flat faces while said drum rotates V 9. In a machine for enclosing fiat objects'in envelope blanks, a frame, a rotatable drum mounted in said frame, fiat faces on said drum adapted to support said objects positioned on said blanks, the flaps of said blanks extending from between said objects and said faces, side folding devices mounted on said drum substantially underneath said flaps and adapted to be raised above said faces and to close said flaps thereabove and temporarily holding said objects on said faces, and means mountedron said frame and actuating said devices.

, 10. In a machine for enclosing flat objects in envelope blanks a frame, a rotatable drum mounted in said frame, fiat faces on said drum adapted to support said objects positioned on said blanks, the flaps of said blanks extending from between said objects and said faces, flap folding devices mounted on said drum substantially underneath saidflat faces and adapted to be raised above said faces and to close in thereabove,

an endless belt travellably mounted upon said frame and adapted to engage upon part of the circumference of said drum, and means mounted on said frame and actuating said devices, said belt and said devices successively holding said objects onto said faces.

11. In a machine for enclosing flat objects in envelope blanks, a frame, a rotatable drum mounted in said frame, flat faces on said drum adapted to support said objects positioned on said blanks, the flaps of said blanks extending from between said objects and said faces, rollers mounted in said frame, one of said rollers being movable towards and away from said drum, and an endless belt extending over said rollers and adapted to engage upon part of the circumference of said drum and to retain said objects on said drum.

12. In a machine for enclosing fiat objects in envelope blanks, a frame, a rotatable drum mounted in said frame, flat faces on said drum adapted to support said objects positioned on said; blanks, the flaps of said blanks extending from between said objects and said faces, rollers mounted in said frame, one of said rollers being movable towards and away from said drum, an endless belt extending over said rollers and adapted to engage upon part of the circumference of said drum and to press said objects onto said drum, and means raising said movable roller from said drum.

13. In a machine for enclosing flat objects in envelope blanks, a frame, a rotatable drummounted in said frame, faces on said drum adapted to support said objects positioned on said blanks, the flaps of said blanks extending from between said objects and said faces, a pair of rollers mounted in said frame, one of said rollers being movable towards and away from said drum and onto said faces, the other roller being adjustable towards the largest periphery of said drum, and an endless belt extending over said rollers and adapted to engage upon part of the circumference of said drum and to retain said objects on said drum.

14. In a machine for enclosing fiat objects in envelope blanks, a frame, a drum mounted in said frame, flat and cylindrically disposed faces alternatingly disposed upon the circumference of said rum and adapted respectively to suport said objects positioned on said blanks and flaps of said blanks, a flap folder mounted upon said drum substantially between said flat and cylindrically disposed faces, means raisingsaid folder above said faces, whereby said flap is lifted'from said cylindrical face, and means shifting said raised folder onto said objects folding said flap thereonto, and holding said objects on said faces when they are swung into an upside-down position underneath said drum during rotation of said drum.

15. In a machine for enclosing flat objects in envelope blanks, a frame, a drum mounted in said frame, fiat and cylindrically disposed faces alternatingly disposed upon the circumference of said drum and adapted respectively to support said objects positioned on said blanks and flaps of said blanks, a flap folder mounted between said flat and cylindrically disposed faces, means raising said folder, shifting said raised folder onto said object and folding said flap .thereonto, a roller mounted on said frame and adapted to be moved onto said drum, and means pressing said roller onto said flap folded onto said object.

16. Ina machine for enclosing flat, objects in envelope blanks, a frame, a drum mounted in said frame, flat and cylindrically disposed. faces alter,-

' natingly disposed upon. the circumference of said:

drum and adapted respectively to support said objects positioned on said blanks and flaps. ofsaid. blanks, a roller mountedon said frame and adapted to be moved onto said drum, means lifting said flaps from said cylindrical faces onto' said roller, and means pressing said roller onto said flaps.

17. In combination, with the rotating carrier drum of an enveloping machine, means feeding envelope blanks onto the circumference of said: drum, means spreadedly retaining said blanks on said drum, means superimposing the objectsto be enveloped upon said blanks. spread upon said drum, meansfirst engaging saidobjects, upon said drum in registry with, said blanks and folding means bending over said blanks'onto said; objects while they are being engagedby said first. en-- gaging means and engaging said objects upon said drum after said objects have been released from said first engaging means.

18. In a device of the character described, a carrier continuously moving through like cycles of operations, a mechanism feeding envelope blanks onto said moving carrier, a mechanism feeding objects onto said blanks on said moving carrier, means temporarily retaining said blanks and said objects on said carrier as fed thereonto, devices folding a pair of opposite flaps of said blanks onto said objects and temporarily holding said blanks and said objects on said carrier after they have been released by said means, and devices folding over the remaining flaps while said blanks and objects are thus being held on said carrier.

19. In a device of the character described, a

carrier continuously moving through like cycles of operations, a mechanism feeding envelope blanks onto said moving carrier, a mechanism feeding objects onto said blanks on said moving carrier, means temporarily retaining said blanks and said objects on said carrier as fed thereonto, a mechanism gumming said blanks on said moving carrier, and devices folding opposite flaps of said blanks onto said objects and temporarily holding said blanks and said objects on said carrier after they have been released by said means, while said blanks are being gummed.

20. In a device of the character described, a rotating drum carrier continuously moving through like cycles of operations, a mechanism feeding envelope blanks onto said moving carrier, a mechanism feeding objects onto said blanks on said moving carrier, means temporarily retaining said blanks and said objects on said carrier as fed thereonto, and devices transversely folding flaps of said blanks onto said objects and retaining said blanks and said objects on said carrier after they have been released by said means.

21. In a device of the character described, a carrier continuously moving through like cycles of operations, a mechanism actuated in cycle with said carrier and cutting envelope blanks from a web, a mechanism feeding said envelope blanks onto said moving carrier, a mechanism feeding objects onto said blanks on said moving carrier, means temporarily substantially centrally engaging upon and retaining said blanks and said objects on said carrier as fed thereonto, and de vices folding the side flaps of said blanks onto said objects while said blanks and objects are thus engagedly retained and temporarily retaining said blanks and said objects on said carrier for successive operations after they had been released by said means.

22. In a device of the character described, a carrier continuously moving through like cycles of operations, a mechanism feeding envelope blanks onto said moving carrier, a stationary stand holding objects substantially tangentially to said carrier, and a mechanism removing objects from said stand and feeding them onto said blanks on said carrier substantially at the speed of surface movement thereof.

23. Enveloping means for a flat object, com- ;prising a support with edges substantially registering with the sides of said object and adapted to support said object in position on an envelope blank the flaps of which extend beyond the sides of said object, folders for said flaps surrounding said support below the top of said support, and a plurality of folder actuating means operatively engageable with extending said folders over said object when said means are moved relatively to and substantially parallel to the surface of said support so that said flaps are folded onto said object.

24. In a machine comprising means cyclically enveloping objects of various sizes in correspondinly longer or shorter envelope blanks, cylinders rotating and transversely cutting envelope blanks in cycle with said means and of a circumference exceeding the length of the longest blanks to be made, means continuously feeding into said cylinders paper for envelope blanks, means operatively,-and adjustably in respect to feeding speed,-connecting said feeding means with said cylinders, and a covering on one of said cylinders brushingly engaging said paper between cutting operations.

25. In a machine comprising means cyclically enveloping objects of various sizes in correspondingly larger and smaller envelope blanks, cylinders rotating in cycle with said means, angular cutting elements peripherally disposed on said cylinders and each adapted to cut one of the corners between adjoining flaps of the largest envelope blanks to be made, and means for peripherally and transversely adjusting in respect to each other said elements on said cylinders.

25. In a machine comprising means cyclically enveloping objects of various sizes in correspondingly larger and smaller envelope blanks, cylinders rotating in cycle with said means, angular cutting elements peripherally disposed on said cylinders and each adapted to cut one of the corners between adjoining flaps of the largest envelope blanks to be made, and peripherally aligned in two pairs as well as transversely aligned in two pairs on said cylinders, and means peripherally adjusting said transversely aligned pairs in respect to each other and transversely adjusting said peripherally aligned pairs in respect to each other.

27. In a machine enveloping objects in blanks, a rotating drum, a mechanism feeding one of said blanks and engaging it on said drum, a plate substantially tangentially directed onto said drum in the direction of the rotation thereof and supporting one of said objects resting thereon, means sliding said one object ofi said plate onto said drum, and means engaging the end of said object on said drum on top of said one blank, as it is slid thereonto.

28. In a machine enveloping objects in blanks, a rotating drum, a mechanism feeding one of said blanks and engaging it on said drum, a plate substantially tangentially directed onto said drum in the direction of the rotation thereof, means placing one of said objects onto said plate, means sliding said one object ofi said plate onto said drum, and means engaging the end of said object on said drum on top of said one blank, as it is slid thereonto.

29. In a machine enveloping objects in blanks, a rotating drum, a mechanism feeding one of said blanks and engaging it on said drum, a plate substantially tangentially directed onto said drum in the direction of the rotation thereof, means moving angularly towards said plate, supporting said objects and pressing them onto said plate, means sliding one object 01f said plate onto said drum, and means engaging the end of said object on said drum on top of said one blank, as it is slid thereonto.

30. In a machine enveloping objects in blanks, a rotating drum, means on said drum enveloping said objects in said blanks, a mechanism longitudinally aligned with said drum and feeding said blanks onto said drum, a means transversely offset from said drum and said mechanism and holding said objects, a mechanism transversely moving one of said objects into longitudinal alignment with said drum, and means engaging said one object on said drum on top of one of said blanks.

31. In a machine enveloping objects in blanks, a carrier, means supporting a stack of said objects, a plate arising from said means, one of said objects resting against said plate, a trough aligned with said means and plate and forming a transverse continuation thereof, a mechanism transversely moving one of said objects from said means onto said trough, and means lifting said object out of said trough onto said carrier.

32. In a machine enveloping an object in a blank which consists of a backing and side and end flaps extending therefrom, a rotating drum, a flap on said drum accommodating said backing, means holding the object to be enveloped on said flap on top of said backing, means folding said side flaps onto said object while it is thus being held, a cylindrical part on said drum, connecting with said flap and accommodating one of said end flaps extending from the backing accommodated on said flap, and means gumming said one flap accommodated on said cylindrical part.

33. In a machine enveloping an object in a blank which consists of a backing and side and end fiaps'extending therefrom, a frame, a-carrier moving in said frame, a plate on said carrier accommodating said backing and supporting the object to be enveloped on top of said backing, flap folders mounted on said carrier on opposite sides thereof, and cams mounted on said frame and closing said folders over said object when they engage on said folders during the movement of said carrier.

34. In a machine enveloping an object in a blank which consists of a backing and side and end flaps extending therefrom, a frame, a carrier moving in said frame, a plate on said carrier accommodating said backing and supporting the object to be enveloped on top of said backing,

stationary cams on said frame, and flap folders mounted on said carrier on opposite sides thereof and raised and moved towards each other by said cams, so that said side flaps are bent over the sides of said object thereonto. V V

35. In a machine enveloping an object in a blank which consists of a backing and side and end flaps extending therefrom, a frame, a carrier moving in said frame, a plate on said carrier accommodating said backing and supporting the object to be enveloped on top of said backing, stationary cams on said frame, and flap folders mounted on said carrier on opposite sides thereof and raised by one and moved towards each other by another one of said cams, so that said side flaps are bent over the sides of said object thereonto.

36. In a machine enveloping an object in a blank which consists of a backing and side and end flaps extending therefrom, a frame, a car rier moving in said frame, a plate on said carrier accommodating said backing and supporting the object to be enveloped on top of said backing, flap folders mounted on opposite sides of said carrier, and means actuating said flap folders, so that said flap folders bend said side flaps over the sides of said object onto the top thereof and engage said object on said carrier.

37. In a machine enveloping an object in a blank which consists of a backing and side and end flaps extending therefrom, a frame, a carrier moving in said frame, a plate on said carrier accommodating said backing and supporting the objectto be enveloped on top of said backing, stationary cams on said frame, flap folders mounted on said carrier on oppositesides thereof and raised and moved towards each other by said cams, so that said side flaps are bent over the sides of said object thereonto, and means tensioning said flap folders against the action of said first cam, said first cam being shaped to release said folders ahead of the said other cam, so that said tensioning means temporarily press said side folders onto said object and retain said object on said carrier.

MATTHEW VIERENGrEL.v 

